Sports

Western Sydney Wanderers player Tomi Juric (C) celebrates with teammates Antony Golec (L) and Iacopo La Rocca (R) after scoring against Guangzhou Evergrande during their AFC Champions League quarter-final football match in Sydney. Photo - AFP

Sydney: Nine-man Guangzhou Evergrande crashed 1-0 to Western Sydney Wanderers on Wednesday in a stormy AFC Champions League quarterfinal first leg which left their coach Marcello Lippi facing possible disciplinary action.

Antony Golec's 60th-minute strike sealed an upset win for the Australian debutants and dealt a blow to Guangzhou's title defence, which was further undermined by an explosive finish in Sydney.

After defender Zhang Linpeng and Gao Lin were both red-carded in the dying minutes, Italian World Cup-winning coach Lippi rushed on to the field to remonstrate with the referee.

"I was a bit upset," Lippi said. "I know I couldn't go on the field but there were two red cards in the final minutes.

"I know it was wrong to go on the field but at that time I just wanted to ask the referee why he chose to gave the second red card (Gao Lin) because I didn't understand why he did this."

Not only will Zhang and Gao be banned for next week's return leg in southern China, but the fit of pique could end in Lippi being banished to the stands if officials take action.

Wanderers coach Tony Popovic refused to reveal what was said in angry exchanges between the two sets of coaching staff.

"That's between us, but I'm sure they wouldn't be happy if I went on to berate one of their players," he said.

"We got the win at home, we over there now and we know we have a real chance to go through and that's what we wanted after the first leg. It's half-time, we've got a slight edge and we'll give it our all."

The well-heeled defending champions, dubbed the "Manchester United of Asia", began well with their two expensive Italian attackers Alessandro Diamanti and Alberto Gilardino troubling the home side.

Golec blocked a Diamanti shot in the sixth minute before the Wanderers came back into the game late in the first half with Shannon Cole missing a free-header on the back post.

But the Wanderers were much better in the second half, taking the game to the Chinese Super League champions and after big striker Tomi Juric had a snap shot saved, Golec broke the deadlock.

Golec was allowed to advance into the box and his shot eluded goalkeeper Zeng Cheng, going in at the far post.

Lippi brought on his substitutes and Guangzhou had more of the play in the closing stages, before tempers boiled over in the last minutes.

Zeng was given a straight red card for lashing out at Wanderers Italian midfielder Iacopo La Rocca in the 89th minute.

And one minute later, Gao Lin was also on his way for treading on substitute Vitor Saba's face while the Brazilian was on the ground.

All hell broke loose as Lippi and his coaching staff stormed on to the field to argue with the referee, before calm was eventually restored.

It was Guangzhou's second defeat in Australia in the competition this year after going down 2-0 to Melbourne Victory in the group stage in April.

Guangzhou became the first Chinese club to win the AFC Champions League when they defeated Korean side FC Seoul on away goals in last year's final.

Wednesday's other quarter-final first leg ended in stalemate as Korean champions Pohang Steelers fought to a 0-0 draw with FC Seoul, last year's runners-up.

Hosts Pohang went close to grabbing a winner in stoppage time when Park Sun-Ju fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box.